Western cyclone., 1887-05-19
THE INDIAN COBRA.

| rarely, ii ever, making an unpr0NoKeu
attack 1t is only when under the
| sense of fear or when irritated that it
| strikes, and, like most of the serpent
tribe. it is happy to beat retreat
when in the presence of man, and,
| unless followed and speedily cOrnered,
| disappears in some hiding-place with
out evincing beyond q threatening
| hiss, any desire to become an aggres-
sor. 1t is its really docile and gentle
disposition, coupled. perhaps, with the
| abhorrence and awe in which it is held
| by the vulgar. that causes the cobra to
| be the favOrite of oriental jugGlers.
Its striking appearance and deadly
nature is so universally understood
that any trifling with it appears to the
uninitiated the more wonderful. To
be sure, it is claimed that performing
cObras are deprived of their tangs,
and are consequently harmless, but
this is true only of those used by in
feror performers, as u rule, though
| the serpent is sometimes rendered
harmless by causing it to repeatedly
! strike some object until the present
| supply of venom is exhausted.
| When at rest the neck of the cobra
|
head, but when confronting an enemy
or excited by passion and irritation it
raises the front half Cor little mOre)
of the body vertically from the ground,
drawing the pOsteriOr portion into
coil, until it forms, as it were, sort
of spiral spring, by means of which.
| aided by extraordinary muscular power
and the elasticity of its frame, it is
enabled to launch itself forward with
lightning-like rapidity, and even leap,
if necessary, to some distance. While
thus erect it holds itself aS rigidly as
an iron bar, and the neck at once
begins to swell to prodigiOus size,
forming the peculiar protuberance
that is known as the "hOOd.' and ex-
hibiting markedly two connected spots
of white, to which it owes its title of
spectacle snake" This "hooded" APP
pearence is due to the loose and flexi-
Bile character of the first nine pairs of
ribs, which by peculiar action Of the
muscles draw forward and spread out
the ribs.
In habits the cobra is cupuscular
and nocturnal. during the day lying
coiled up in its lair asleep; but no
sooner has the sun fallen below the
horizon than it craWls forth in search
| of prey, such as tOads, frogs, mice,
| and small Vermin. CObras are inOrdi-
nately fond of rats, and the presence
of the pests about q dwelling is a GER
tain means of Turing the cobra, and
perhaps causing it TO make a den in the
foundation walls, among accumulated
| rubbish, or even in the attic 1t is
! these yermin also that lure it about de-
serted temples, old ruins, and deserted
cane-felds and plantations; and where
grass and Jungle have been permitted
To spriug up at will and in deserted
and honey-combed ant-hills they are
sure to be found. Yet" says Capt.
| Gilmore, although they are so pIen-
tiful, | never heard of European
being bitten by one during residence
OF many years in India"
Among the natives of India who, as
rule, are too idle and careless to
| accept Of precaution, the loss of life is
considerable, in some districts abso-
lutely trightful, and averages annually
for ali British India something like
one-seventh of per cent. of the entire
population. SO Indifferent are the
natives, and so imbued, perhaps, with
fatalisn, that they march bare-legged
through jungles and thickets, at night
casting themselves on the bare earth
or floor inditferently, with no other
covering than light muslin or cotton
wrapper. Naturally prOwling ser
pent will often cross the body of the
sleeper, who, One-half awakened by
the act, puts forth his hand to discover
what has disturbed him, and is imme-
diately bitten.
The AnglO-Indian, after brief resi-
dence in the east, learns to hold the
cobra in supreme contempt. though
during the heated term doors and
windows of necessity remain unclosed
both day and night, and it Is no un-
common occurrence to find traces of
tho visit Of cobra over night, or
even its old skin, on the floor, which il
has cast off during its peregrimations
about the room. Ample measures for
protection, however, are always taken
III the way Of screens and canopies to
beds; and when men 90 out walking
or shooting CATERS are invariably
worn. Even trousers are protection,
since they catch, and perhaps tear out,
the curved fan0s or absorb the venom.
1t is rare that native of India will
injre one of the reptiles, which he
holds in species of religious venera-
ton, and the death of one of his i'm
mediate family or relatives brings no
other retribution than coaxing OF fore
ing the author into jar, and setting
him at liberty nj some distance. The
Hindu priests rather encourage the
| presence of cObras about their temples.
and even go so far as to feed them
regularly, Offering milk. Of which they
seem inordinately fond, claiming that,
aside from the sacred character Of the
serpents. their value as destreyers of
vermin sufficiently compensates for all
danger.
Over ten million nounA- - ...,..;-